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Original poster

Would you/do you live near a motorway?

42 replies

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 17:31

And by that I mean within spitting distance!

We're house hunting at the moment and have viewed a house that is about 400 yds from the M4! The noise wasn't actually as bad as I'd imagined it would be - but what's it like living with it every day?

The house is huge and would clearly be out of our price range if it were not so close to the motorway - is it worth it for the living space we'd get inside?

Any opinions/experience gratefully received .

OP posts:

Lonicera · 18/02/2010 17:33

I wouldn't, sorry

BariatricObama · 18/02/2010 17:35

nope. not just the noise there is the pollutions and run off. and actually the noise would be horrific

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 17:40

Hmm, I did wonder about the pollution .

Anyone live by a motorway and not mind it?

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rebl · 18/02/2010 17:42

No way. Its the pollution. Plus I would always worry that a lorry would come hurtling into my garden.

Itsjustafleshwound · 18/02/2010 17:45

We went to visit a friend who had a house in Leatherhead - virtually on the M25 - it was horrendous - terrible noise and they were unable to grow anything edible in their garden because of the pollution (advice they received from some health service)..

I am sure it is fine now that it is winter, but it will be a different story in summer with windows and doors open ...

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 17:45

It's not that close!

I'm useless at judging distances so maybe 400yds was a bit of an exaggeration - you can see the motorway from the garden and definitely hear it, but no danger of any vehicles landing in the garden!

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frasersmummy · 18/02/2010 17:47

I lived about that distance from the m8 in Glasgow for over 20 years

I moved in when I was about 2.5 and could honestly say I never heard the traffic... but visiting friends did so I guess I just grew up with it and tuned it out

That said the m8 is only really busy at each end of the working day ....I have no idea what the m4 is like

The one thing I did notice was the amount of sirens.. sooo many sirens

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 17:47

Really? God, the pollution is obviously a bigger issue than I thought then .

OP posts:

juneybean · 18/02/2010 17:49

I live quite close to the A1 and to be honest I can't hear it, but if I go to my friends who lives further up the A1 I can hear it.

Bizarre, I think you block it out.

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 17:49

Frasersmummy, I was wondering whether you'd just tune the noise out.

The winter/summer thing is interesting actually cos there are a lot of trees between the house and road which are obviously all bare at the moment - once in leaf they would deaden the noise further.

I don't know - I love the house, so I think I'm trying to convince myself it would be ok, but our kids are very young and I don't want to damage their health.

OP posts:

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 17:50

juney, that is strange!

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frasersmummy · 18/02/2010 17:58

I know when I grew up pollution wasnt the big issue it is now

but honestly its not like you open your door and see a lorry's exhaust fumes

There were loads of kids in my street and none of them were ill cos of the motorway. When I moved out I was more worried about the pylon that was at the end of the road!!

stressheaderic · 18/02/2010 17:59

I grew up in a house with a railway line at the bottom of the street, about 10 houses away. Trains every 15 mins. Honestly, never heard them - you do just tune it out.

In fact, now I've moved out, I sort of miss them. It was comforting...when I was little if I heard a train I knew I could get up as it was after 6am.

The polluting effect would be the only thing to put me off, not the noise.

Rindercella · 18/02/2010 18:10

The M25 goes through my parents' farm and the noise is horrendous - the house is pretty close to the road. It is slightly better now that there are bunds (great mounds of earth acting as a sound barrier), but I still wouldn't choose to live there.

If you do decide to buy that house, go at different times of day and in different weather - the noise can change drastically when it's wet or if the wind is coming from a different direction.

LIZS · 18/02/2010 18:11

We live about half a mile from one (although it is in a deep cutting at that point) but did turn down a house which was at a point level with it and where it was visible from the upstairs. Great garden but it felt very intrusive. There is a constant hum from it at night if you listen out, and we can see distant lights in winter where it emerges from the cutting, but not disturbing. No obvious pollution, even though we also live on an A road. Neighbours happily grow veg and have chickens. We used to live about 100m from mainline trains and our windows etc would get covered in a sticky orange dust but again we were used to the noise.

frasersmummy · 18/02/2010 18:19

liz I think its funny that you say there is a constant hum at night

Thats what my friends used to say when they visited at night.. there is a constant humming noise

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 19:10

All very interesting - thank you.

We would certainly need to return at different times of the day/night to see what it was like.

I suspect my dh will not be impressed - but we'll see. I will show this thread, so if anyone has anything else to add I would be grateful .

OP posts:

Heated · 18/02/2010 19:17

My uncle and aunt lived very close to Heathrow (could watch the planes take off from the bottom of the garden), the noise was earsplitting but they hardly noticed it or the vibrations! One aspect would concern me is future development - my aunt and uncle were compulsory purchased as part of the Heathrow expansion - for instance if there ever was a road widening scheme.

Personally I wouldn't.

hocuspontas · 18/02/2010 19:22

My old house was 1.5 miles from the M11 and on a still night you could hear the constant voomvoom.

I havve lived on a main road and it is true you do tune out. But once it gets under your skin it's a nightmare there's no let up!

I wouldn't.

GrendelsMum · 18/02/2010 19:28

DH and I used to live near a motorway. I absolutely hated the constant hum of traffic, he didn't mind it at all.

But I used to live by a railway line, and the noise of trains never bothered me at all.

Kaloki · 18/02/2010 19:32

I used to live right by the M4 and in the Heathrow flight path. Then moved next to a railway line. I just got used to it. I'm more worried that I'm moving to a little village and won't be able to sleep for the quiet!

sb6699 · 18/02/2010 19:36

Rinderella - my DH is stuck on the M25 as we speak. I honestly had never seen anything like it until I moved down here, its like a bloody big car park at times!!!

I dont think I would move near a motorway. I used work in a large city centre with lots of traffic and the office was always filthy if you left the windows open because of the traffic pollution - I just couldnt live in that.

I live semi-rural atm so the noise would probably grate on my nerves but I think you would eventually manage to tune it out and I dont think the dc's would even notice.

RedFraggle · 18/02/2010 19:45

I used to live about this distance from a motorway. To be honest the noise never bothered us - the traffic noise of the buses on our street was far more irritating. Didn't suffer much pollution either that we noticed.

However, when we came to sell the house it put a lot of people off. And I do mean a lot. We priced it to reflect being at the "wrong end" of the road but still many viewers couldn't see that they were getting a lot of house for their money due to location. I'd never live close to something like that again just from a selling on perspective. If this is your 'forever house' then that's not an issue...

Hope that helps

Original poster

spongebrainbigpants · 18/02/2010 20:22

redfraggle, that is very useful - if we're so doubtful then lots of others will be too.

Thank you for all your input.

I think we're going to pass on it.

OP posts:

KoalaSar · 18/02/2010 20:24

We live close to a motorway. It's true that you shut out the noise and you don't hear it but then when you sit in somebody's peaceful garden you do notice the difference.

That said, if you need the motorway for work, it's great.

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